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Rochford Field and Villano Park Project Nearing Completion

8/17/2015

Rochford Field and Villano Park Project Nearing Completion

The revitalization of the Newhall/Highwood neighborhood has been a continuing focus of the Town’s economic and community development interests. In the aftermath of the residential remediation project, completed in 2012, and in consideration of the future development of the Hamden Middle School, the Town of Hamden has put significant effort towards the revitalization of this community.

One key project assisting in the neighborhood’s revitalization has been the remediation and restoration of Rochford Field and Villano Park. This project began November of 2014, and the remediation of underground storm drainage system reached completion on August 1, 2015. The project in its entirety still has many renovations to come. Sod will be installed at Rochford Field and Winchester Ave. will be completely rebuilt in the coming weeks and months.

After a long planning process, Guerrera Construction will soon complete the soil remediation and restoration project at Rochford Field and Villano Park. The work includes the restoration of the two parks so that they are healthier and upgraded for recreational purposes. Work on the parks began the week of November 24th, 2014 under the supervision of the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Hamden Economic Development Corporation. The final completion and reopening of Rochford Field and Peter Villano Park will be spring 2016.

In the early 20th century, the area where each park exists today was swampland, and over many decades the land was filled with industrial waste and other types of fill in an attempt to control mosquitos and malaria. As part of the Consent Order of 2003, the Town of Hamden and State of Connecticut partnered on the remediation and restoration of both parks so they can serve the needs of all Hamden residents.

Winchester Ave. between Mill Rock Rd. and Newbury St. will remain closed until late 2015, and a parking ban will continue for street parking on Winchester Ave., Newbury St., Newhall St., and Mill Rock Rd., all of which surround the park until heavy equipment is off the sites. As for the change in bus routes, the Winchester Ave. bus will continue to be rerouted by CT Transit and bus stops will be re-set at their original locations later in 2015.

The Rochford Field project will include a new soil surface, baseball, softball, and soccer fields. It will also include a walking track. At Villano Park (formerly Mill Rock Park) there will be two new basketball courts and tennis courts, as well as a new playground for children of all ages and other park amenities. There will also be a recreation area for older residents as well as a venue for entertainment. The park is expected to be a recreational hub for all Hamden residents.

The project plan for the parks, pictured below, as well as more information about the history of the remediation and restoration of these parks can be found on the project website www.newhallinfo.org/town_parks.html.

In other news, other development projects will begin soon in Southern Hamden including construction of the Hamden Business Incubator in 2015 and the redevelopment of the former Hamden Middle School between 2016 and 2017.

For more information on the Rochford Field and Villano Park Projects, contact Dale Kroop, Executive Director of the Hamden Economic Development Corporation at (203) 287-7030, email dkroop@hamden.com, or visit us on the web at www.hamden-ct.com.